Could acoustic foams help a good night’s sleep?

Pipework leading from bathrooms can be a particular source of noise disturbance in multi-occupancy buildings especially for those working, caring or simply trying to get a good night’s sleep. When it occurs in hotels and care homes it is often viewed as intolerable by residents, even during the day.

This noise disturbance is often exacerbated by having pipework in direct contact with structural elements, which allows sound waves to reverberate and travel easily to other parts of the building.

Soil pipes are notorious for causing disturbance, especially where water impacts as it changes direction through a bend or junction. It’s not helped, either, by the flow rate varying from zero to several litres per second when a toilet is flushed or a bath is run, whilst the volume of water travelling through a straight section of pipe generates noise in itself. Drainage pipes in multi-occupancy buildings may serve many storeys, meaning the noise travels between floors.

System based approach

Latest flexible technical insulation materials are designed specifically to tackle these sources of noise. They are manufactured from a 2mm thick foil faced acoustic EPDM-EVA barrier with 4kg/m² weight and a 9mm thick ArmaFlex elastomeric foam layer for decoupling, which makes it more effective compared to traditional acoustic insulation products. Independent tests showed that flexible insulation foams achieve a much greater reduction in sound level and with a thinner wall thickness.

The new acoustic foams are able to reduce the airborne sound pressure level of a roof drainage system by 16 dB (A) at 2 l/s water flow.Similar tests on a PVC pipe, where the vibrations caused by flowing water are stronger because of the lighter weight PVC, achieved a noise reduction of 12 dB (A). The human ear perceives a reduction of 10 dB (A) as halving the volume.By choosing the correct flexible acoustic foam it is possible to achieve a weighted sound reduction index (Rw) up to 28 dB when pipe and elbows are insulated.

In comparison to traditional products for this area, multi-layer materials achieve the desired noise reduction with much lower thicknesses. It also means the products are highly flexible and are easy to fit, without any need for special tools or accessories. The handy formats and self-adhesive backing allow fast and simple installation.

Comfortable nights

Specifiers and installers that choose flexible insulation foams specifically designed for acoustic applications can demonstrate to their client that they have considered the needs of the occupiers.

The new ArmaComfort AB Plus and ArmaComfort AB Alu Plus acoustic insulation materials are presented on YouTube and at www.armacell.co.uk